Get Tangled Up In Me

And call it love for the last time

The next couple of days went by the quickly. My dad was leaving on the thirty-first, so I tried to spend as much time with him as possible.

There was nothing better then Jersey when it snowed. The thick white blanket turned our messed up town into an innocent place for a brief time. All around you could see snowballs being thrown, sleds being sledded on, and the lake that just a few weeks ago contained murdered bodies now had children skating on it as if nothing had ever happened. My favorite time of the year.

I was currently sitting on my front steps with my sketchbook and a smile on my face, sketching the image of Frank, Gerard, Mikey, and Jared all trying to defeat my dad at a snowball war. It was safe to say my dad getting his ass kicked.

“Come on Ravey! Save me! I’m dying out here!” I heard my dad call to me. I stubbornly shook my head no. There was no way I was going to give those guys a chance to attack me with snowballs.

“I’m not done with this yet!” I called. I heard my dad laugh as he ducked behind his fort made out of snow.

“Jeesh, Gerard did you give them homework over the break or something?” He teased Gerard smiled over at me.

“Of course! You know how fun it is to torture them with all this homework I’m going to have to eventually grade!” He laughed to himself. I smiled, which kind of hurt because my face was like half frozen. I went back into my own little world, sketching the scene I had memorized.

“Raven?” I heard and my head snapped up to see those brilliant green orbs looking back at me. “Think fast!” Next thing I knew I had snow in my face.

“Oh your gonna pay for that Gerard Arthur Way!” I shrilled throwing my pad aside and running into the war grabbing ammo for myself and crouching next to my dad behind his cover.

All of my snowballs were aimed at Gerard. My dad had taught me the proper way of making and throwing snowballs when I was four, so by the time I was ten I was a master at it.

“Stop Raven!” Gerard whined as I pelted him with the snowballs.

“Hey, you knew what you were up against when you threw the thing in my face!” I yelled back laughing to myself. My dad was taking care of the rest of the guys so I could get my revenge on Gerard.

I bent over to gather some more snow when suddenly I was tackled and landed on my back, behind a bush and everyone else’s line of vision.

“Gerard!” I giggled. He pursed his lips.

“What?” He asked innocently, as he straddled my waist. “I couldn’t just let you beat me like that!” I smiled and noticed how close we were.

“Gerard, your just a cheater,” I decided sticking my tongue out at him. He looked shocked.

“Hey!” He complained. “That tongues belongs one place, and one place only. My mouth.” I started to laugh.

“Cocky son of a bitch, now aren’t we,” I leaned up to distract him with a kiss. I took one hand and held the back of his head as I pulled him down to my level and with the other hand and grabbed a handful of snow and threw it down his pants.

“Raven what the fuck?!” He yelled. “Do you want me to get frostbite and my dick fall off??” I had stood myself up and then almost fell over I was laughing so hard. I could hear Mikey and Frank’s laughter with mine; obviously, they had heard his outburst. I mean he was loud enough for my cousin Claire to hear him all the way in England!

“I’m sorry,” I pouted. “I’d offer to kiss and make it better, but honestly that would be utterly repulsive.” I giggled at the look on his face. I knew he wanted to say something but refrained since my dad was in the audience.

Then my mom came out with a tray of hot chocolate so Gerard was saved from a comment. Except, as he walked past me with a smirk and whispered in my ear, “That’s not what you said last night.” My jaw dropped and I hit him on the chest.

“Shut up you pervert!” I laughed. He held the spot I hit him and pretended it hurt. I rolled my eyes as I top a cup from my mom and mumbled ‘thanks.’ Everyone went inside but Gerard and I. We sat in silence, looking at each other every couple of seconds and smiling when we caught each other.

When we had finished our cocoa, he grabbed my hand and pushed the cups aside, pulling my up on my feet with him. “Come on let’s go for a walk,” He suggested. I quickly agreed pulling my bright yellow hat back over my head, slipping my gloves back on, and wrapping my gray scarf around my neck.

We walked in the winter wonderland holding hands, which wasn’t odd for us even before we had admitted our feelings to each other. In fact, the only time we didn’t was when Billy was around.

That name hit me like a ton of bricks. Billy… What am I going to do about Billy?! I mean I had to end it somehow. I now saw what he was doing to me, and how much he was lying to me, and overall how bad he was for me. But there was no way he would let me out of that relationship alive. Literally.

I’ll just have to do it quickly, like ripping off a band aide. And hope for the best. And probably kick him in the balls. That would help.

“What are you think about?” Gerard asked, swinging our arms gently. I smiled slightly and tried to find the right words to say.

“Well, actually, I was thinking about us. And… Billy,” I answered, wincing at his name. It hurt to think it, let alone speak it. Gerard suddenly went to hug me and I jumped, not even realizing what I was doing. I saw the sadness in his eyes and started fiddling with the necklace he gave me trying not to cry.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered. “I- I can’t help it sometimes. It’s like he’s there even when he isn’t. He’s always in my mind.

“I don’t know when, or how,” Gerard growled. “But I swear one day I will make him pay for this.” Then he took me in his arms as I cried into his chest.